TNA: How Impact! Wrestling Brought Back the Wrestling Fans

Sting showing a full deck of cards to Aces and Eights. Credit: Lee South, TNA Wrestling

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Entering 2012, TNA wrestling was coming off a previous year dominated by the Immortal and Fortune storyline. Despite a product that disappointed time to time, Impact! Wrestling achieved some success by featuring their flagship show outside the Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. The problem with Impact! Wrestling was that it never remained consistent with its direction.

For the year 2012, TNA really stepped it up with Impact! Wrestling. The show, which was very inconsistent in the past two years, finally seemed to find a comfort zone under which to operate. It could even be pointed out that TNA has produced its most successful programming in 2012 thus far.

The biggest issue for the company was gaining back trust from wrestling fans after two years of disappointment in the Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff era. TNA has a talented wrestling roster, featuring a mix of seasoned veterans and young stars. Its roster is finally being used correctly in wrestling matches and storylines.

Has TNA wrestling gained back trust with wrestling fans? My answer is yes and that is because of just how consistent the product has been. For months, even before going live for the summer, TNA began building the next step for Impact! Wrestling. That all began when the Immortal storyline faded and its vocal leader—Bischoff—faded off TNA television. Once Immortal left TNA for good, Impact! suddenly became a well-rounded show.

As for Bischoff, TNA did right to take him off television. Bischoff better serves as a backstage leader and helping TNA take that next level. Although he is entertaining on the microphone, his best performance is growing Impact! Wrestling.

Hogan, who continues to be used on television, is also doing his finest work since joining TNA in 2010. He seems very comfortable in the role as the General Manager of Impact! and is not being overexposed on television. He provides a legendary name to TNA, as well as putting input to the shows produced because of how long he has been in the wrestling industry.

TNA has something very good going for them. Hopefully, these summer series episodes will turn into a permanent live time slot in the near future. No matter what the ratings say, as long as Impact! remains a solid product, TNA will see its benefits in the long run.